increasingly severe

USAGE SUMMARY

"increasingly severe" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it when you need to express that something has become or is becoming more intense, serious, or extreme. For example: As the weeks went on, the lockdown restrictions became increasingly severe.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

His religious views became increasingly severe.

The New York Times

Increasingly severe drought events will occur almost every year.

Stanford University

They were not ignored in return; crackdowns grew increasingly severe.

The New York Times - Arts

Over the last decade those punishments have become increasingly severe.

The Guardian

Landscape exploitation became increasingly severe throughout this time period.

Forest Ecology and Management

In the middle of the last decade, he was troubled by increasingly severe back pain.

The New Yorker

She has since been sent back to North Korea twice, with increasingly severe punishments each time.

The New York Times

In August 1951, Eva, much weaker, developed increasingly severe abdominal pain and fainted again.

The New York Times - Health

"Increasingly severe weather means there isn't anywhere now that can say we won't be flooded.

The Guardian

Beyond 2 degrees Celsius, it is feared, the impacts of climate change could become increasingly severe.

The Washington Post

Antisocial behavior is an increasingly severe problem that requires significant human input to detect and tackle.

MIT Technology Review

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "increasingly severe" to emphasize a gradual escalation in the intensity or impact of a situation, problem, or condition. This suggests a process rather than a static state.

Common error

Avoid using "increasingly severe" to describe situations that are already at their highest level of severity. This phrase is most effective when illustrating a progression.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "increasingly severe" functions as an adverbial modifier followed by an adjective. It modifies a noun, verb or adjective, emphasizing the progressive intensification of severity. As Ludwig AI indicates, this phrase is grammatically correct and suitable for use in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Formal & Business

7%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "increasingly severe" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase suitable for describing conditions or situations that are growing more intense over time. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's perfectly acceptable in written English. Common across news, scientific, and academic contexts, its purpose is to highlight progressive worsening. While alternatives like "progressively worse" or "steadily worsening" exist, "increasingly severe" effectively conveys the gradual escalation of severity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

progressively worse

Focuses on the gradual deterioration or worsening of a situation.

steadily worsening

Highlights the continuous and consistent decline in condition.

ever more critical

Emphasizes the escalating importance or urgency of a situation.

growing more acute

Suggests that a problem or issue is becoming more sharply defined and intense.

continually escalating

Indicates a continuous rise in intensity or severity.

intensifying rapidly

Focuses on the quick increase in the strength or degree of something.

worsening substantially

Highlights a significant decline or deterioration in condition.

aggravating constantly

Implies a continuous process of making something worse.

becoming dramatically worse

Emphasizes the sudden and considerable decline in condition.

markedly deteriorating

Highlights the observable and distinct decline in condition.

FAQs

How can I use "increasingly severe" in a sentence?

Use "increasingly severe" to describe situations that are becoming more serious or intense over time. For example, "The storm caused "increasingly severe" damage as it moved inland".

What are some alternatives to "increasingly severe"?

Alternatives include "progressively worse", "steadily worsening", or "ever more critical", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it redundant to say "increasingly severe"?

No, "increasingly severe" is not inherently redundant. "Increasingly" indicates a gradual process, while "severe" describes the intensity or seriousness of something. The combination emphasizes a growing level of intensity.

How does "increasingly severe" compare to "very severe"?

"Increasingly severe" describes a situation that is becoming more severe over time, while "very severe" describes a situation that is currently at a high level of severity. The former implies a process, while the latter describes a state.